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Reviews

As a student, I am hurt by the insults here to our teachers. I've been a student in the district since first grade, and I've consistently had very talented and dedicated teachers. Even the students agree that the problems PW has don't stem from the staff or the educational offerings. PW has a reputation that is deserved to a degree, but things are definitely improving. Recent graduates are attending schools like Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and Swarthmore, the once defunct marching band is competing again, the speech and debate team is a statewide contender, and our sports teams are doing very well. There are a lot of problems with this school; the curriculum is weak, standards are comparatively lower than at other schools, facilities are too small, and decaying, but there is a distinct renaissance taking place. Test scores go up each year, a new-ish principal is galvanizing the students, and things seem pointed in the right direction. Residents still smarting over the break-up of the old "Lansdowne-Aldan High School" may never get over it, but PW is presented as worse than it really is. No worse than BP, UD or even O'Hara. Bottom line is that students can and do achieve success here.

- submitted by a
student

May 07, 2012

All my children attend the William Penn District. I pay mad taxes and for a system that isn't uplifting my children. My children attended private school and got a really good education. I can't afford to send my kids to a private school but the school taxes in Lansdowne are ridiculous.. My children tell me how the teachers aren't involved enough because of the size of these classes. I live in Lansdowne and I travel in Yeadon there is no way that many kids live in our district. They have to find a way to check if they are part of our district. Most but not all are children that have disipline issues and they bring it to our township. Please Pennwood step it up and save our kids.

- submitted by a
parent

May 04, 2012

Penn Wood isn't the best school but it's certainly not the worst. There are many programs for students to take advantage of. The issue is that there is limited funding for resources ( parents must get involved write your state representative for more funding, etc) and a large amount of students coming from other areas that lack motivation. Test scores are a result of a lack of preparation which is on the the part of the school district and student's willingness to prepare themselves. What's happening is a lack of parent involvement as well. In most schools, if parents show lack of concern for their student, teachers will not bend over backwards and beg your student to be punctual, disciplined and willing to learn. Even in tuition paid college, instructors do not care if your student skips all classes. So really , if your student can't be responsible in high school, why pay college tuition? I believe that parents and teachers play a huge role in students' success. It can't be all on the teachers and administration. In addition, it can't all be on the parents.

- submitted by a
community member

September 24, 2010

People underestimate the quality of this school... the students are willing to learn and the teachers are more than willing to teach. We have a reputation as a "bad" school... but as a student here, it's not bad at all. We have our struggles because we don't have much money, but does that make us worse than schools in wealthier communities? I'm in all honors classes, paricipate in extra curicular activities and take dual enrollment classes at Drexel University... without Penn Wood I wouldn't have gotten these opportunities. Bottom line, people should have an open mind about us... our reputation is offensive and inaccurate.

- submitted by a
student

March 10, 2010

This review submitted without content.

- submitted by a
parent

October 07, 2009

The faculty and staff rarely return phone calls. The school is very poorly organized. They don't follow their own policies and procedures except when it comes to punishing students, which they seem to enjoy doing. Everytime you call any number at the school, you always get an automated response. When does the office staff ever answers phones?

- submitted by a
parent

May 29, 2009

I don't like the school at all. Some of the teachers are worst than the children and don't really care about the children. I don't see what my daughter is learning except how to fight. Not until she came here has she been in so many conflicts and I don't see much action being done!

- submitted by a
parent

January 20, 2009

This review submitted without content.

- submitted by a
parent

no ratingOctober 31, 2008

i am actually a senior at penn wood high school and is not all that bad but yes they do underestimate us as a student body. My mom and dad pay all these taxes for them to give me tons of unnecessary worksheets and for my counselor to not do her job. Well I am making the best of it taking honor classes,ap classes, and dual enrollment. I am envolved in extra ciricular activities and thats what matters. The wood keeps giving me lemons and I'm making gallons and gallons of lemonade each step of the way.

- submitted by a
student

September 09, 2008

This review submitted without content.

- submitted by a
community member

July 26, 2008

Well, I graduated from this school in 2007 and I go to school in Atlanta. Penn Wood wasn't the best high school in the area but it definitely wasn't the worst. I learned and I was able to participate in the activites and sports that the school had to offer. As long as you were motivated and tried to go after oportunities and keep yourself in the upper level courses ( we had 9 AP's not 2) and you did dual enrollment, succeeding in college wasn't a problem.

- submitted by a
student

November 11, 2007

Most teachers do not care. Some teachers are great and it shows, but the administration will make it tough for most teachers to want to stay. Huge turnover in teachers and school district administration. Stability and consistency is important and it is not here! Why do most teachers run out the door immediately behind the studnets at the end of the class day? Why do the guards kick students out the door 10 minutes after the last bell? Why are there minimal extracurricular activities (mostly sport, only 3 non-sport activities)? Why is there such a large support of detentions, in-school suspensions, out of school suspensions, alternative schools (yes plural)? Why are there only 2 AP classes? Cultural awareness is minimal. But it is not just cultural; it is also religious awareness, ethnic awareness, demographic awareness, etc.

- submitted by a
community member

November 09, 2007

I went to 'The Wood' an the schooling was great.

- submitted by a
former student

no ratingJuly 08, 2007

Pennwood High school is a disgrace. The staffs lack of commitment to the students is evident in their performance. There is a lack of control and discipline. This school does not promote success, it sets children up to fail.

- submitted by a
parent

May 31, 2007

This review submitted without content.

- submitted by a
student

May 16, 2007

This review submitted without content.

- submitted by a
parent

May 15, 2007

Penn Wood High School, as with any high school, needs improvement. Classroom size is too large for an instructor to be effective in their method of teaching. The tone of the school has change drastically therefore making the transition for non-minority teachers difficult. I would like to see the school become a bit more challenging academically. Penn Wood has a melting pot of diverse cultures however, the high school could be improved by introducing cultural awareness training among students and faculty members.

- submitted by a
parent

April 11, 2007

This review submitted without content.

- submitted by a
parent

September 25, 2006

This review submitted without content.

- submitted by a
parent

February 10, 2005

This review submitted without content.

- submitted by a
parent

March 16, 2004

This review submitted without content.

- submitted by a
former student

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